The Phantom of the Modern Days
by smgirl
Summary: Serafina Walson is the new singer at the Paris Opera House. Once she gets there she finds out that there seems to be a phantom, which is impossible, but true. She must figure out all of the sick secrets that lie within the beautiful building.
1. The New Girl

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, even though I wish I did. I also do not know what the Paris Opera House looks like inside, so I am just imagining all of this that I'm writing.

**Author's note: Okay, so I am back to writing again. I haven't written since...last year? Yeah, I think last year. It's been a while anyway. lol! I'm kind of rusty, I must admit. Anyway, I just thought of this idea one day and thought it might be a neat story. And if anyone is wondering, this story is set right now in 2006. So, I hope you like it!**

The New Girl

I stood gazing up at the most enormous building that I had ever seen. It was a beautiful site. _And this is where I'm going to be for the next couple of years, hopefully._ The thought made me so excited. Even months after I had graduated college, I still could not believe that I was going to sing at the Paris Opera House! It all seemed a grand dream that I would never wake up from, but yet could not imagine not waking up from, for it was all too much to take in. I had come from a small town that did not have fancy buildings. Heck, we didn't even have a mall or Wal-Mart! The nearest one was about 15 miles away. And to be in Paris, well, my mind was overflowing with thoughts.

Okay, so, you're probably wondering how I came to be here, right? You're probably thinking, how can a simple girl from a small town be asked to sing in Paris? Well, I had always loved to sing when I was young. Every song that would come on the radio, whether I liked it or not, I would sing along with it. Everyone told me I had a beautiful voice, but I always thought that they were just saying that to be nice. Well, as I got older, I started performing in musicals and plays at my high school. Then more and more people would tell me I had such a beautiful voice and should put it to better use other than my high school performances. After that, I started to believe that I did have a gift. When it came for me to decide what I wanted to major in for college, I decided I wanted to sing. Of course, all of my friends and family supported my decision. To make a long story short, a person from the Paris Opera House was at a performance my college was doing in Europe. I was the lead role, so you couldn't help but notice me. Well, I think you know where the story goes from there. If not, well, get someone to help you figure it out.

I thought that I should probably go inside instead of just staring at all the building's wonder. _Okay,_ _it's now or never, Serafina. You can do this. This is what you've worked for. Face it, this is not a dream. This is really happening!_ I thought all of this as I walked up the many steps which led to the large doors that separated me from my future and dreams. I hesitantly put my hand on the door knob and slowly opened the door. I peeked inside and gasped at the beauty of it all. It was like walking into a palace. _This is way better than the small, dirty floors and wooden walls in my town. _The place was as if it were cut out of a fantasy and placed into my life.

I took a couple more steps forward until I was just inside the doorway. I must have been so intent on looking at my surroundings that I didn't notice the footsteps or hear the clearing of a man's throat. Once I did, though, I jumped and blinked several times to clear my clouded mind. Standing in front of me was a man dressed very finely. He had on a navy blue suit, a white shirt neatly pressed underneath, and a bright red tie. I stood staring dumbly. He smiled gently and held out his hand. _Serafina, put your hand into his and shake it._ My mind was not functioning at all. I took his hand and gave it a shake, though.

"Welcome, Miss, uh...what was your last name? All I can remember was Serafina."

"Oh, my last name is Walson. Serafina Walson. And you are?" _Good, complete sentences. Kind of._

"I am Tim Carter. I am over the Paris Opera House. I saw you perform, I do recall. Am I correct?"

"Yes, you did. I must tell you that I am very grateful to be here and am very excited for this experience!" _Stop babbling. You sound like an idiot._

He just smiled and directed me over to a hallway. "Well, we are glad to have you. You have an extraordinary voice, my dear, and what better place to use it than here? Now, I will show you to your room. It is down this hall, which will lead to a separate hall over here on the left. Your room is the second on the right. Ah, here we are. Now, I have your key right here. Once you get settled in, then I would like for you to come to my office. Just come the same way you came to get to your room and then you will see a large door across from this hall. That is my office. Knock first, though, before you enter. Does that all make sense?"

I stood there just looking at him, but then quickly nodded. He smiled and then left me alone to my room. It was rather small, but I didn't mind at all. My room in my house had been much smaller. I would sometimes say I slept in a closet, because that was what it seemed more like.

I picked up my three suitcases (Yes, I packed a lot, but I will be staying here for a while) and laid them out onto my bed. I started as quickly as I could to unpack. I didn't want to keep Mr. Carter waiting any longer than necessary. I looked around and noticed that I had many drawers and one closet. _Well, at least everything will fit in a place._

After I had finished packing, I brought the directions of how to get to his office back up into my mind. _Okay, so, go back to the lobby area and then look across from this hall to see a large door. Hmmm...oh, there it is. How could anybody not notice such a large door!_ I walked over to it and remembered that he had told me to knock before going in. I knocked twice until I heard his voice through the door usher me in. I walked into his office, which was enormous! No wonder the door was that large.

"I see you found my office without any trouble. Of course, I didn't think you would have trouble. Anyway, please take a seat." He waved his hand towards a leather chair sitting in front of his desk. I walked over and gracefully placed myself down into it. I crossed my hands in my lap and gazed at him, waiting.

"Now, you came here to sing. And you will no doubt probably be many leads in the upcoming operas. You will need to know the schedules of rehearsals and where they are held. You will also need to know when the operas will be. Sometimes the dates change due to emergencies that have suddenly sprung up, but we usually do not change the dates. Since people have already purchased tickets, it is just a mess to give money back or announce to everyone that the date has changed. Does that make sense?"

"Oh, yes, it does." What more could I say?

"Good. Now, here is your schedule" I took it from his hands and glanced over it. The next opera was coming up soon.

"It is a good thing you came when you did or you might not have been able to try out for a part. That takes place today after lunch. You will, of course, want to be on time for that. The next opera is in about 2 months. We start rehearsing rather early, just to make sure everything runs in tip top shape. Now, I will show you where the stage is. That is also where the tryouts are and rehearsals. Follow me." We walked out of his office and under the grand stare case in the middle of the lobby. There was a hallway under it which led past the kitchen and dining area. I found that this hallway had a very small case of stairs. They were narrow and went in a spiral shape. These, I found out, led backstage. There were already a couple of people there now.

"This is where you will be spending most of your time. Mrs. Walters is over rehearsals. She is not here at the moment, though. She's probably eating. Once lunch is over, you need to come here. Did you see where the kitchen and dining room are on our way up here?" I nodded and he looked at his watch.

"It looks as if lunch is about to be served. Why don't you go get in line now. It gets pretty packed in there if you wait too long. If you have any questions, you know where my office is. All I ask is you knock before entering. Do you have any questions, Miss Walson?"

"No, I don't believe I have any. Thank you, though. And thanks for showing me around."

"It was nothing. I shall see you around then. Goodbye." He then briskly walked away. My stomach started to growl, so I thought I would take his advice and go get in line. I walked back down the stairs and came to the kitchen door. I looked in and saw a long line already forming. _Great. I just love standing in long lines._ I walked over and claimed my place at the very end of the line.

I must have stood there for about ten minutes until I finally got my food. A turkey sandwich with an apple, some milk to drink, and a piece of coconut creme pie. I walked out of the kitchen and walked into the dining room. _Oh goody, now I can sit by myself and really look like the new girl. _I walked over to an empty table and sat down. The room was full of energy and excited voices. I looked down at my food and started eating. I jumped, startled, when I heard a trey land on my table. I looked up into the face of a smiling, red headed girl. She had many freckles and very bright green eyes. She sat down and smiled again.

"Hey, I'm Amber. You don't mind if I sit here, do you? My friends have kind of deserted me and I thought you looked kind of lonely, so I thought I would come over here and talk to you. I don't think I've ever seen you here before. Are you new? You must be. What's your name?" I just stared at her for a minute. _Wow, and I thought I babbled! I don't even know half of what she asked me._

"Um, my name is Serafina. And yes, I am new here. It's nice to meet you, Amber."

"I thought you were new. So, what do you think of it here, so far? Did you just come today? Well, of course you did. I didn't see you here yesterday. So, what do you think of Mr. Carter? Pretty nice but odd. That's what everyone says."

"Well, I think that this place is amazing and I'm just so happy to be here. I think that Mr. Carter is pretty pleasant as well. Why does everyone think he is odd?"

"Well, he's very secretive and always wants people to knock on his door before entering his office. It's rather odd."

"Well, maybe he just wants some privacy," I said. Amber shook her head.

"Nope, it's more than that. The last time someone forgot to knock, he practically strangled them. He apologized greatly after that, but we've all looked upon him differently since then. We think it has something to do with The Phantom of the Opera." She smiled at mentioning this. Now, I am a huge fan of The Phantom of the Opera, but I know that it is fiction and not real, even though I wish it were.

"Why would he be afraid of that? The phantom isn't even real. It's all just made up."

"Oh, well, explain that to him. Also, there have been some odd things going on around here. Actually, when I came here, about 5 months ago, many strange things were happening. Things like people being hurt while they rehearsed, strange letters being sent to Mr. Carter, one time I even thought I heard a voice whispering throughout the theater, but I must have just imagined it." _Wow, these people must be nuts. Believing that the phantom is really alive and terrorizing people, it's just all a little freaky. _Amber continued with her story.

"And also there is the rumor of a boy just disappearing a long time ago.I also heard about that story when I came here. People only speak about it when Mr. Carter is not around. One time, someone was talking about it, and he overheard, and he actually sent them away. He told them never to return."

"Why did the boy disappear?"

"No one really knows. He used to sing here, though, a while back. Maybe three years ago. Then he just disappeared. We heard there was some sort of accident that he was involved in before he vanished. We all think Mr. Carter is in on it somehow. That is why he acts all suspicious and secretive." She smiled as if she had just given away the winning lottery numbers to me. I didn't know what to say.

"Well, that is all very interesting, but what does this have to do with The Phantom of the Opera?" She looked at me and leaned forward. I had to lean in some more to hear her, she was speaking so low.

"We think the missing boy has become the phantom."

**Author's note: Yes, that is the first chapter. If you don't like it, then tell me what you think should be changed. But if you do, then that is very wonderful! Please review! I do need it, since I haven't written in a while. Thanks a bunch!**


	2. Rumors

Disclaimer: Yes, once again, I do not own POTO.

Rumors

I just stared at Amber as if she had grown 3 heads. Why would all of these people think that just because weird things have been happening, and some mysterious boy disappears, that they should, all of a sudden, think he's the phantom! The phantom, who is a fictional person! It's just all too strange.

"Um, Amber, why would this boy be the phantom? The phantom is not even real." She looked at me and shrugged.

"Well, we all know that. We just think that this boy has gotten the idea from The Phantom of the Opera and is now imitating his actions. We think it's for revenge or something like that." She began to eat her food while I just sat there, thinking.

"That really makes no sense. So, okay, he lives under the Opera House? That's absurd! Has anyone actually gone down there to see if he's down there, or does everyone just think he is?" She looked back up and started talking with food in her mouth.

"No one in their right mind wants to go down there, just in case the rumors are true. Besides, so far, nothing terrible has really happened, so we just tell the story to all the new people. Sort of a way to warn them of what they're getting themselves into when they come here." She paused and swallowed her food. She looked back up and smiled. "Anyway, it doesn't look like you believe any of it. Are you the 'common sense, everything needs an explanation' type?" She laughed at her little joke. I didn't find it funny at all.

"No, I am not. But I am sensible enough to know that all you are saying is a lie. Just some silly story someone came up with to amuse everyone. I just happen to not believe it at all. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go to tryouts. Bye." I quickly got up, threw my food away, and returned my trey to the kitchen. It wasn't too long before I noticed Amber had followed me.

"Oh, come on, I didn't hurt your feelings with that 'type' thing, did I? I was only joking, so don't worry about it. Besides, you have to admit, it is a rather interesting story. I, myself, quite enjoyed hearing it when I got here." I turned around to face her and sighed.

"Look, I'm not mad at you, okay? It's just...I'm stressed. I really want to be the best I can be while I'm here, and that is just weighing on my mind, that's all. I'm sorry I seemed a little upset. And I'm actually kind of glad you shared the story with me. It is rather interesting, in it's own odd way. Now, how does all of this tryout thing work, anyway?" She placed her hand on my shoulder.

"Well, Mrs. Walters, standing over there, is over rehearsals and tryouts. She has a sign up sheet over on that table that you sign if you want to try out for a part. Just put your name next to the part you want. Then she will take up the sheet and start calling everyone, one by one, out onto the stage to see if you fit the part. If not, then she'll place you somewhere where she thinks you will be best, or not place you at all. Come on, let's go sign up."

We walked over to the table. I really had no idea what opera we were doing, which made me even more nervous. The names for the roles made no sense to me. They sounded almost foreign. I looked over at Amber, who acted as if she knew all the names by heart. I nudged her shoulder.

"What performance is this?" She looked at me like I was so stupid.

"You must be joking! This is Evita. Have you never heard of her?" I shook my head, embarrassed of how little I already knew.

"I don't believe I have heard of her. But um, thanks for telling me. What is a good part to sign up for?"

"Well, I personally do not want to be the star. But you might want to give it a whirl. Obviously, since the name is Evita, then she is the lead role. Hey, why not sign up for that? Give it a shot, girl." I hesitated a little, not quite sure if I should.

"Well, I guess I could. What do I have to lose?" So, I wrote my name right next to the part of Evita.

We walked back to the center of the stage and waited for Mrs. Walters to finish up looking over the sheet. I was practically holding my breath when she called my name. _I hope she doesn't ask me to sing a song from it. I would be so embarrassed to just stand here and sing nothing! _

"Miss Walson, you wish to be Evita, am I right?" I nodded my head and gulped. Mrs. Walters must have noticed, for she gave me a gentle smile.

"Well, all I want you to do is sing a song of your choice. Can you do that?" I sighed in relief and smiled.

"Yes, I do believe I can. Let's see...hmm...oh, I have one." I cleared my throat and began to sing "Think of Me." Yes, a Phantom of the Opera song, but they all seemed to love that story so much anyway, so why not sing a song from it? I poured my soul out into it as best as I could. I simply forgot all about the people around me. If felt as if I were the only one there. At one point I found that I had closed my eyes. When I had finished, I opened them to see the entire stage of people staring wide eyed at me. I cleared my throat in a nervous habit and looked at Mrs. Walters. She seemed just as impressed as everyone else.

"Why, my dear, that was lovely. Very lovely indeed! I will, of course, have to hear from everyone else, but I think you have a good chance at getting that part!" She smiled at me and I returned it. Then she turned away to call the next person. I ran to the back of the stage to find Amber. When I did, she was grinning from ear to ear.

"Wow, that was amazing! See, I told you that you would do great!"She grew silent for a moment and leaned forward to whisper into my ear.

"And I bet the phantom is just as happy. He loves music, you know, and a prima donna has just stepped into our very presence." She snickered and walked onto the stage when she heard her name being called out. I just shook my head at her silly words. _Yeah right! All of these people have taken that story a little too seriously. And I thought I was obsessed with it! Gosh!_

What Serafina didn't notice was how the curtain behind her had moved, as if a sudden gust of wind had touched it. The source of why it had moved was a mystery in itself.

**Author's note: Okay, so, what do ya think? I hope it all makes sense. If not, then just wait and keep reading. Or ask me, if you have any questions. In the next chapter, Serafina is going to get a little curious. She will discover something that she never thought possible, so you gotta stick around for that! Please review:)****Thanks!**


	3. Strange Discoveries

Disclaimer: I do not own POTO...yada, yada, yada...And I don't own Evita, either.

Strange Discoveries 

Later that day, Mrs. Walters had finished deciding who would have which part. Everyone was told to go back to the stage where Mrs. Walters had posted the list. Me and Amber were headed that way right this moment. Amber was very nervous.

"I'll probably not even be placed anywhere. I probably sang badly and she won't even think of putting me anywhere. That song I sang was kind of old, and it probably didn't make my voice sound good. I probably..." But she couldn't finish because I cut her off.

"Amber, would you please be quiet! I'm sure you did just fine, so stop worrying!" She just shrugged as we kept on walking. _I wonder if I got the part of Evita. I would be very surprised if I did. But very happy! But I probably wasn't as good as any of the other people who have been here longer. Oh gosh, now I sound like Amber!_

Our pace slowed as we approached the back of the line to see the list. I watched as some people shouted with triumph and high-fived each other; while others walked away looking deflated. I gulped. Amber was the first to look at the list before me. She screamed with delight. I was so worried about not getting a part, that her excitement startled me. She turned around to face me with delight on her face.

"I didn't get a leading role, but I'm one of the chorus girls! I actually have a part! Oh my gosh, I totally forgot to look for your name. Come here." She pulled me up beside her. I anxiously looked down the list until I came to my name...which happened to be beside the name Evita!

I stood in total shock until someone behind me said, "Come on, can you not read? It doesn't take that long to find your name. Move it!" I quickly stepped out of the way, as did Amber. She touched my shoulder and I looked into her questioning face.

"So, did you get a part? If not, then that's okay, you know. It's just your first day and no one really expects you to get anything. But if you did, then that is totally awesome!" I waited until I knew she was finished before I spoke.

"I did get it! I got the part of Evita!" I practically screamed it out loud. A couple of people turned to give me curious glances. I could feel my face turn red, but I really didn't care at the moment. Amber grabbed my shoulders and shook me with glee.

"Oh my gosh, that is so awesome! I cannot believe you got the leading role and it's only your first day here! You really are good!" I just smiled.

The rest of the day it was just like walking in a fog. I still thought this was all a dream and I would wake up from it anytime. But it was really happening! I guess all the excitement really had worn me out, because come 10:00 I was completely exhausted! Amber was just as hyper as ever as we walked to our rooms. I just barely listened to her talking.

"I think he's cute, but I doubt he'll ask me out. My mom always said I seemed a little overbearing-can you believe she told me that! My own mother! But anyway, so, I would probably scare him away. But, what if he liked to talk just as much? Then we would be perfect together, don't you think? I do..." She just kept going on and on! I wanted to hit the off button so badly! I did find out, though, that she had a crush on one of the guys here at the Opera House. He was a dancer, and I must admit, pretty cute. Finally we reached my room.

"Well, I'm really tired, Amber, so I think I'm just going to go on to bed. We start rehearsals tomorrow, so I want to get enough sleep. I'll see you tomorrow for breakfast, though. Bye!" I walked into my room and shut the door. I allowed myself to lean against it for a moment. I sighed and slowly walked over to my bed and just collapsed. I had no energy at all to even change into my pajamas. I quickly drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

During the night I awoke to a strange sound. It seemed to be coming from outside my door. I opened my eyes groggily and walked slowly towards the door. I turned the knob and opened it up. There were lights out in the hall, so I could see pretty clearly. Nothing was there at all. I yawned and was about to close the door when, all of a sudden, I saw a black shadow making its way down the hall. It rounded the corner and disappeared. Knowing that I should just leave it be and go back to bed would have been the reasonable thing to do. But I am not always reasonable. I grabbed my key from the dresser near the door and locked the door behind me. I carefully made my way down the dimly lit hall so I wouldn't wake anyone. I turned down the same hallway that the shadow had gone. I stood there for a minute, but didn't see anything. _Just go back to bed, Serafina. _But I didn't listen to my mind. I kept walking until I came to a dead end. _That's odd. Maybe the figure was just someone out late and sneaking back to their room._ I turned to head back down the hall when something out of the ordinary caught my eye. Where the dead end was, there seemed to be something black on the wall. I walked over to it, thinking it was probably just a smudge. I gasped at what I found. It was fabric. Black fabric. _Stuck to the wall? _My eyes widened when I tugged on it. It appeared to be shut inside the wall. _How is that possible?_

I tugged harder this time and the wall seemed to give a little. I almost screamed when it seemed to fall on me. After I had recovered, I stood in utter amazement. The wall was actually a door and I had just opened it up! I pinched myself to see if I was still sleeping. I winced and I knew I was fully awake. _This makes no sense! Why is there a door in the wall, and why is it a secret door? And where does it lead to? _The biggest question of all was who had walked through it. _I really should turn around now._ My feet didn't listen. They slowly, hesitantly walked through the door.

Once inside, I found it to be very dark. I had to feel on either side of me to find my balance. I walked carefully through this hidden passageway. I almost fell when I realized I had come to a case of stairs. I carefully made my way down them. When I reached the bottom of them, my view seemed much more brighter. I could see what lay ahead of me now. A dark tunnel curved to the left. The walls were made of stone. It was very chilly and damp in the tunnel. I continued down the path until I came to a river. _This is really freaky. It's almost like..._ But I couldn't even say the words. Not after the story I had heard from Amber. It all seemed so unreal. I didn't see a boat or anything. Just a small river that seemed to go on forever. Thinking I had just wasted precious sleeping time, I began to scold myself.

"Why did you even bother to come down here, Serafina? It was just a waste of time. All of those silly rumors of that boy, they're starting to get to you." I was about to turn around when I deep voice from behind me that I hadn't heard before echoed throughout the tunnel.

"And what might those 'silly rumors of that boy' be about, my dear?"

**Author's note: Dun, dun, dun. lol! I'm sure you've all figured out who it is, though. You'll just have to keep reading to find out what happens next. ...Review! Thanks:)**


	4. The Stories Proved to Be True

Disclaimer: I don't own POTO or Evita.

The Stories Proved To Be True

I did not want to turn around after hearing that voice. _Oh my gosh, I'm under the Opera House, in a dark tunnel with some strange man. I really should have just stayed in bed!_ I almost jumped when I heard his voice again.

"Did you not hear me, or should I speak more slowly? And another good question while we're at it would be to ask why you are even down here." I gulped and closed my eyes.

"Come now, turn around!" Seeing that I wasn't going to, he gripped my shoulder and roughly turned me to face him. I gasped at what I saw. He was probably around my age, or maybe a few years older, with jet black hair and piercing blue eyes. That wasn't the shocking part, though. The part that really bothered me was that this strange man wore a mask! It looked almost identical to the phantom's mask in Phantom of the Opera! Not the white porcelain one, but the black one that went across his face like in Don Juan.

He continued to stare at me, as I at him. I could hear my ragged breathing and the beating of my heart in my ears. I felt as though I would pass out cold on the damp ground. _All of those stupid stories weren't so stupid after all, I suppose._ He gave a bitter laugh and jerked his hand away from my shoulder.

"Remind you of someone? Yes, the ever popular Phantom of the Opera. So, pray tell, what those stories about that boy are about? Hmm, I bet I know already. There once was a boy that sang in the Paris Opera House. All of a sudden, some mysterious accident occurred and no one ever saw or heard of him again. Rumor has it that he mimicked the phantom and lives under the Opera House, terrorizing those above." His tone had become bitter with every word he had said. He shook his head and sneered. "Am I right?"

I dumbly nodded my head, still too overcome with shock to utter a single word. He frowned.

"Why are you even down here? How did you get down here!" He began shouting. His voice ran off of the walls, making it sound as if there were a million of him talking at once. I opened my mouth, hoping something would come out.

"I-I saw a s-shadow in the hall outside my room. I f-followed it and found some cloth stuck inside the wall. I pulled on it and the wall fell open. I came down here w-where you have now found me." He seemed to enjoy that I was terrified.

He reached over and felt of his cape (yes, he's even wearing a black cape...oh my gosh!) and studied a small tear in it.

"I suppose it got stuck when I was returning down here." He looked back up at me. "And you just happen to be the lucky soul who found it." He laughed bitterly. I cringed inside.

"Well, um, I should probably be going," I said. I quickly made a dash for the stairs leading back up to freedom, but he was too fast for me. He grabbed my arm and pulled me up against him. I stood face to face with the man whom I had been hearing about all day from Amber. _Well, even though he appears insane, he is quite handsome. _I nearly gasped at my thought. _Serafina, are you just as insane? The man is looney in every possible way there is. And he looks dangerous._

"And just where do you think you're going?" He glared down at me. He was a good seven inches taller, and I was tall enough as it was. My voice shook as I responded.

"I-I'm going back to bed in my room. I'm s-sorry to have disturbed you." I tried to pull away, but his grip just tightened. He laughed bitterly once again.

"Do you think I am stupid? You cannot go back up there. You will surely tell everyone about me and they will want to come down here and gaze upon my face, as you were doing just moments ago. They'll want to send me to some asylum. A place where I'll be surrounded by walls that are cushioned. No, my dear, you must stay down here." He leaned down farther and whispered, "Forever!" _Okay, this is really getting creepy! I am alone with a psychotic freak! No one will hear my screams if he tries to murder me. I'm dead meat for sure._

"I promise not to say anything to anyone. Just please, let me go!"

"Do you really think I'm that big of a fool? People talk about the 'missing boy' all the time and how they wonder if he's really living under the Opera House. Well, I know that you'll just let it slip about how you've seen him with your own eyes, and you know how to find his home. Then you will be so popular, because you solved the big mystery that everyone's talking about constantly. After all, you said yourself that you wanted to be the best you could be while you're here."

"Wait a minute, how did you know I said that?" Panic welled up inside me.

"I see and hear many things, my dear." Now I was starting to get mad.

"You know what you are? Some crazy person who really does need to be locked up! You think you're the phantom, for crying out loud! How more weird can you get! And besides, I never believed those stupid stories anyway. I still don't know if I'm dreaming or awake. I really hope I am dreaming. Oh, and don't call me dear!" I wrestled out of his grasp and ran up the stairs. I could hear his feet right behind mine, hot on my heels. I had almost made my escape, but at the last minute, he grabbed me around my waist and hauled me backwards.

"Stop it! Let me go! I'll scream, I swear I will!" He laughed.

"Scream all you want. Even though we're close to the secret door, no one would be able to hear you anyway. This walls are too thick." He tossed me over his shoulder like I was some rag doll and carried me back down the stairs. Tears welled up in my eyes as I thought of how my first day had gone from being wonderful to being so terrible.

**Author's note: Okay, I would really appreciate more reviews and readers! PLEASE! Enlighten the birthday girl, please! Yes, it's my birthday, and I want nothing more than some reviews. Oh, and in case you don't know what Evita is about, here is a summary- **

Evita is based on the life and times of Eva Perón, the second wife of Argentine dictator Juan Perón. It chronicles her life as Argentina's most complex and powerful figure, against a backdrop of political unrest, until her tragic death of cancer in 1952.


	5. Home Sweet Home

Disclaimer: I don't own POTO

Home Sweet Home

He led me down to his "lair" and deposited me on a large sofa. I had to grab onto the sides of it or I would have fallen off. I looked up at him and hoped he didn't see the tears in my eyes. I didn't want him to know I was afraid or sad. Of course, I'm sure he could already tell. He looked at me for a moment and then turned away. I closed my eyes and leaned back against the couch. _What am I going to do? I have to get out of here, but if I try to escape he'll really be mad!_ I opened my eyes to see that he was gone. I looked around the large room for him, but I didn't see him at all. _Maybe this is my chance. I'll just sneak off really quickly and he'll never know what hit him. _

I got up off of the sofa and slowly, quietly made my way back in the direction he had brought me. As soon as I rounded a corner into another tunnel, he jumped out at me. I let out a loud scream at the sudden surprise. He put his hand roughly over my mouth and yanked on my arm to lead me back to my new home.

"I knew you were going to try to escape, so I was one step ahead of you. I guess that will show you that I'm watching your every move, so do not try anything like that again." He let go abruptly when we had gotten back, and I fell to the floor. He made no move of assistance, so I got up myself. I brushed my pants off and glared at him.

"Okay, so, since I'm stuck down here, what am I going to do? Just sit around, knowing you're watching my every move? And where will I sleep? What will I eat? Are you just going to let me starve?" _Oh gosh, I sound like Amber with all her questions._

"Of course I won't starve you! I'm not that evil. And there is a bedroom that you will sleep in. And as for entertainment, well, I have books you can read. Do you like to read?"

This sudden act of kindness really shocked me. "Um, yes, I do like to read." He nodded and led me over to a bookshelf.

"Here are the books I have. There aren't too many, but maybe you'll find some you would like to read." I was already finding some I liked. I picked one out and walked back to the sofa. I sat down and began to read. After reading a couple of pages, I looked up to find him watching me. Even though I knew he was holding me captive, I couldn't help but blush at his bold stare. I did have a question that had been lingering in my mind, though.

"Um, won't people wonder what happened to me? I mean, I was here for one day and then, all of a sudden, I am gone. Isn't that rather suspicious?" My voice seemed to knock him out of some trance. He shook his head.

"I will handle that. Do not worry. No one will suspect a thing. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have something I must tend to." He turned to go, but then turned back around to face me. "Remember, that I will know if you try to escape. And this time, I might not be so nice about it." With that, he turned and walked down the dark tunnel.

**Author's note**: **Yes, super short, I know. And I don't think it's one of my best chapters, but I don't have much time today to write a really long, good one. Sorry! But I'm gonna write another chapter tomorrow, so I'll make up for it then. Oh, and thanks to all my reviewers! You guys rock! **


	6. A Little Exploring

Disclaimer: I don't own POTO.

A Little Exploring

I don't know how long "the phantom" was gone. I spent most of the time reading. I wanted to explore his home, or I guess my home also, but I didn't want to over step my boundaries. _But really he over stepped mine, bringing me down here against my will. Why should I feel guilty about anything?_

I marked the spot in my book and then laid it down on the sofa. I got up and looked around me. To the left of me was a large keyboard and music sheets laying everywhere on the floor. _He must compose. _Over to the right of where I was standing seemed to be the kitchen. A very small kitchen at that. In the direction behind me was a separate room. My bedroom. I walked over and stood just outside the doorway. I peeked inside, but couldn't see anything for all the darkness. I felt around for some kind of light source. _I guess there's electricity down here._ I tripped over something once and almost fell. Finally I found a lamp and turned it on. It cast shadows all over the room.

In the middle of the room was a small bed with a night stand next to it. The bed looked like it had silk sheets on it. I walked over to confirm my observation. _Yep, that's silk._ I sat down and ran my eyes over the rest of the room. There was a closet in a far corner. I got up off of the bed and walked over to it. I tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge. It was then that I saw the hole where only a key would open it at. _I wonder where the key is? And why would he lock it up anyway? _I turned back to the room and went over to a large mirror. The frame around it was gold. _Pure gold._ I looked at myself in the mirror. In the lighting my hair seemed to look darker than its light blonde color. My eyelashes cast spiked shadows on my cheeks.

I decided that while I was at it, I might as well look around the rest of the place. _I just won't move anything. That way he won't even know what I was doing. _I went into the kitchen and opened the cabinets. All I found were some crackers, cereal, and a couple cookies. There was a mini refrigerator there, too. I opened it up to reveal some milk and apples. _And he told me he wasn't going to let me starve. Ha, well, what am I going to eat? Crackers, cereal, and apples? And what about him? He has to eat as well. _I slammed the door shut and walked in the direction towards his keyboard. I was right, he was a composer. It seemed he was having some trouble lately, though. Probably about twenty sheets lay on the floor all crumpled up. I reached down and smoothed it back to it's original shape. The title of the song was called "Cruelest of Lives." _Yeah, I can see him writing that. _I crumpled it back up, so he wouldn't know I was looking at it, and let it fall to the floor.

_Well, I guess there's nothing else to look at. I might as well go back to reading my book. _I turned around, but bumped into a small desk. It knocked into a curtain that I hadn't seen until now. I set the table back up onto all four feet and lifted up the curtain. _This must be another room. I wonder why it's hidden?_ As I walked inside, I felt something brush against my forehead. I almost screamed, but then I realized that it was just a string. I pulled on it and a light came on. I looked around to find that this hidden room was, in fact, a bedroom. _This must be his. _His bed was just a mattress lying on the floor. There wasn't even a pillow. There was a sheet, but it was all tangled up, as if he didn't usually sleep well at all. There were pictures of different operas and composers hanging on the walls. The one thing that seemed to catch my eye, though, was a chest at the foot of the mattress. It was rather large and appeared to be rather old.

I sank down onto my knees, right in front of it. _I shouldn't open it. It's his personal property. _Curiosity got the best of me, though. I was surprised to find that it wasn't locked. I slowly lifted the lid up and peered inside. There were letters and books inside. I picked up a book and was leafing through it when suddenly I saw a picture inside. I pulled it out. It was a picture of Mr. Carter and a little boy, standing in what looked to be some kind of park. _Why would he have a picture of Mr. Carter? _

I must have not realized that I had said that out loud, because the next thing I heard was "the phantom's" voice.

"Yes, why would I?" _Oh gosh!_

**Author's note: Yes, it's a big cliffy! lol!** **Okay, so I know it's not too long, like I had promised, but I'm really tired! I had my friends over last night, and I just didn't sleep that well, so it's hard to concentrate. Sorry! But I didn't want to let you guys down, since I promised I would update today. But yeah, okay, now you can review! YAY!**


	7. Disobedience

Disclaimer: I do not own POTO or Evita

Disobedience

I gulped and turned around, still holding the picture. He stood in front of the curtain, which hid the light from behind it. The room was cast in hundreds of shadows, including one side of his face. It gave him a stern, murderous appearance. I gulped again. He stepped forward and I stepped back. _Remember, don't show him fear. That will only make it much worse._

"So, _my dear_, might I ask why you are in my room, going through my belongings? The last time I saw you, you were reading a book. A perfect, innocent activity, one that would have kept you out of trouble, I might add. But now that you have done this, I'm afraid you must face your punishment." He was heading towards me slowly. He didn't know, however, that I had a plan going on inside my head. As soon as he was about to grab me, I ran under his arm and out the curtain into the main area of his home. I looked around frantically and saw a tunnel several yards away. I ran as fast as I could towards it. I could hear him growl behind me. I recalled that he told me that he wouldn't be so kind the next time I tried to escape.

I pushed the thought quickly out of my head and kept running. Darkness was everywhere and I stopped abruptly when a frightening thought crept into my mind. _What if there are traps, like in The Phantom of the Opera? What if I fall into one and either drown or break my neck from the fall? _I shook my head. _No, this isn't Phantom of the Opera and I'm not going to die. Well, at least not by any traps. _I heard him shout and I continued to run into the darkness. I don't know how far or how long I ran until I came to the lake. The first time I had seen it I had thought it was a river, but it looked more like a lake now. I didn't see a boat, though, like there was in the movie. _Well, he must have come from somewhere that day that I arrived down here. I didn't see a boat then either, and I was on the other side of the lake with him. Hmmm, oh yes, he led me through some passage. _I looked around for it, but didn't see anything except stone. Of course, it was rather dark.

I could hear him getting closer with every second I wasted. I reached out and felt along the wall. I was about to give up when my hand landed on a stone that was stuck out farther than the others. I pulled and twisted on it until I could feel it giving way and opening up into another tunnel. It was completely pitch black this time, but I was desperate, so I ran into it. I felt along the walls as I ran. It seemed to get more narrow the farther I went. Finally, at the end, I saw light. I ran out and stopped dead in my tracks. Standing right in front of me was none other than "the Phantom" himself.

_Darn, darn ,darn!_ I backed up against the wall, and was about to make a run for it down the tunnel I had just come from, but he grabbed my arm and pulled another stone that was stuck out. The opening slowly closed and was then just a wall to the ordinary eye. He threw me on the ground. I looked up into the angry eyes.

"I told you that if you ran away again, I wouldn't be so nice about it. Well, you've proven to be an ignorant girl and done exactly what I told you _not_ to do. Now, get to your feet and don't try anything funny. I'm watching your every move." I slowly got to my feet and brushed myself off. I looked at him and raised my chin.

"You can't possibly keep me down here forever. One day I will get out and you won't be able to stop me. Besides, I'm the leading role in Evita. I plan to keep that role. It was my first big role and now you've torn me away from my dream come true. You are cruel. A cruel, cruel person! No wonder you live down here in the darkness all alone. No wonder you have copied the Phantom's miserable life and now live it. I'm not in the least surprised anymore." I waited to see his response, my hands on my hips.

He shook with rage and something more. Something I couldn't very well define in his eyes. He grabbed me by my arms and shook me until I was dizzy.

"You have no idea why I live down here or why I act this way, so I would be very pleased if you kept you big mouth shut! I don't need your talk and I will not listen to it! And you will _never _escape! I'll make sure of that, even if it means doing something extremely drastic! Now, come on." He half yanked, half dragged me back down the tunnel that he had opened up while I was thrashing him with my angry words.

I knew that there was no use in trying to get away. I wouldn't be getting away. He turned back around.

"Oh, and don't be so worried about your precious part. It is not yours any longer anyway."

It was official. All my hopes and dreams had died at the very moment I had found "the Phantom's" home.

_**Meanwhile, back above...**_

Amber paced the stage back and forth. It was the first day of rehearsals and Serafina was not there. Amber knew how much the part meant to Serafina, so she couldn't understand why she hadn't shown yet.

Mrs. Walson stepped up onto the stage, clearing her throat to get everyone's attention.

"I have some bad news. It seems Serafina, our newest addition and star, has run away. I suppose it happened last night. All of her belongings are gone from her room. It seems we are in need of a new Evita. The runner up for the part was Bernice Swanson. It seems you will be our new Evita. Now, to start we..." But Amber didn't hear anymore.

_Serafina wouldn't just run away from this big of a chance. I was just talking to her last night. She was so excited. No, something strange is going on here, and I plan to find out just what that something is._

**Author's note: Yes, the new phantom is a lot like the real one we all know and love. lol! So, we shall see what happens with poor Serafina. I might not be able to update that much this week. I'm much busier this week than I have been. But, don't worry, I shall not let you guys down. Until then, thanks for all the reviews!**


	8. Clear Understanding

Disclaimer: I do not own POTO.

Clear Understanding

After we returned to the "lair" I went into my room and locked the door behind me. I had discovered earlier that it locked. I was very grateful for that at the moment, considering he rushed after me and was pounding on my door. I laid down on my bed and covered my face with my pillow. I was too angry and sad to even cry or think about what lay ahead for me. My head throbbed with each pound on the door.

"You cannot stay in there forever! Not that I mind, though, because at least I will know that you haven't escaped. But you must face your punishment. I told you not to run away, and you disobeyed me. Didn't your mother ever tell you not to disobey?" I didn't answer. I didn't care to. This man, no, _monster_ was keeping me locked away from my dreams. My one moment to shine and he took that away from me. All those years at college, and what was it for? Nothing! Because of some lunatic of a man.

"Fine, you can stay in there. For your punishment you will not be able to eat any supper. I will take all the food out of the kitchen and hide it. Maybe that will teach you to listen to what you're told." The pounding on the door finally stopped as I heard him walk away. However, the pounding lingered in my head. I closed my eyes and drifted into sleep.

* * *

Amber was exhausted. They had just finished with rehearsals and ate supper. She was headed back to her room when something caught her eye. It was Mr. Carter standing in a dark hallway talking...to nothing? _No, he's talking to someone but who? _She crept behind a pillar and watched. _Is that a dark shadow? I can't make out the person._ Mr. Carter raised his hands in the air and waved them around wildly. _He seems enraged for some reason._

Just as soon as the outburst had occurred, he started to walk back to his office. Amber looked over at the dark hall and saw nothing. She yawned and turned, once again, to go to her room. _I must have imagined it, that's all. I am really tired._ She was asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.

* * *

Serafina woke to a loud noise. _What is that? Let me guess, it's the psycho banging on his keyboard because he is angry at the world. _I walked over to the door and hesitated before opening it. _Do I really want to leave my safe haven? Well, I can't very well stay in here the rest of my life._ I unlocked the door and opened it up. I walked out into the room, expecting him to jump out at me and strangle me any second. But he didn't. I looked around the entire place, but still couldn't find him. _Okay, well, this is both nice and freaky. I'm glad he's not here, and yet I would rather know where he is. It is like he's hiding or something, even though I know he is not here. _I looked towards the tunnel that I had tried to escape through just hours ago. _Well, I won't be doing that anymore._

I walked over to the sofa and sat down. I found the book I had been reading before I had let my curiosity get the best of me. A few moments later I was so wrapped up in my book that I didn't even hear him enter.

* * *

(**"the Phantom's" POV)**

I entered my home and expected her to still be locked up. I was rather shocked to find her sitting on the sofa and reading, like she had been doing a couple of hours ago. _She's probably up to something. Well, she won't escape again._ I slowly moved behind her, looking down. She was so engulfed in her book, she didn't even sense my presence. I studied her face for a moment. _She really is rather pretty. I haven't had a companion for such a long time, it seems. I suppose I shouldn't be so mean, but I cannot help it. All that I've been through..._ A feeling of rage ran through me, and I reached down and slammed her book shut. She screamed at seeing my sudden appearance.

"Are you just enjoying a book or plotting your next escape plan?" She looked at me with her mouth open and shook her head. _Why isn't she talking back to me like usual?_ I tried once again.

"Or have you been going through my things once again? Trying to figure out the big mystery of the insane guy under the Opera House." She just looked at me and sighed. She was starting to irritate me with her quiet, politeness.

"Why aren't you speaking!" She just continued to stare at me. She finally stood, walked over to the spot where I had thrown her book and picked it up. She placed it on the sofa and turned her attention back to me.

"Why should I talk to you? You obviously don't need any real companionship with anyone, because you don't treat a guest like you have treated me. So, I am just, what? What exactly am I doing here? To protect your precious name, which I don't even know! Do you even have one? Anyway, so, you wonder why I don't talk to you. Well, it seems pretty clear to me!" She ran towards her room and shut the door again. I could hear the lock turning as I inwardly groaned.

_

* * *

_

_Gosh, he is so frustrating! Why must he bother me? I finally come out and he mocks me. Well, I don't care if I never eat again, because I am staying in this room. _At that moment there was a knock on the door.

"Go away! I don't think we have anything else to talk about." I leaned against the door and waited.

"No, we have very much to talk about. Look, I am sorry that I pushed you out there. I was just simply wondering why you weren't acting like yourself. Now, please open the door. I promise I won't hurt you."

"Why can't you just tell me through the door? It must not be that important." I heard him growl.

"Listen, I am trying to be nice about this. Please just open the door. At least crack it open." I thought about it for a minute, but finally opened it. What a comical scene I saw, too. He was bent down with his head leaning against the door. He looked up, shocked, but immediately composed himself.

"Well, thank you. Now, um, I wanted to say that you may read whatever book you want. You may look around, use my keyboard, and you may eat. I will put the food back into the kitchen. But you may _not_ enter into my room and you may _not _try to escape again. Is that clear?"

"I suppose. But what I want to know is must I stay down here all the time? Can I not get some fresh air every now and then?" He looked around, as if the answer could be found in the air.

"You may accompany me to a few operas and I will take you outside every now and then, but you must not go alone. Okay? Because if you do, then you get that opportunity taken away. Now, I will leave you to do whatever you like, but remember my warnings." With that he was gone.

**Author's note: Sorry it took me a while to update. I have been very busy. I was going to update yesterday, but then we had this huge storm hit us, so I couldn't get on the computer. Anyway, I hope you guys like it. It's not that great, but it's all I have at the moment. Oh, and I put some links on my profile of what Serafina and Amber might look like. So, if you want, check that out. It's towards the bottom. Anyway, review, please:)**


	9. Are We Actually Getting Along?

Disclaimer: I don't own POTO

Are We Actually Getting Along?

It was a new day and, hopefully, a new start. Even though I pretty much hated the fact that this man was keeping me down here against my free will, I did hope we could at least say something to each other without ripping each other's heads off in the process.

But yesterday he had actually made a deal with me. As long as I don't try to run away or pry into his personal life, he would give mea small piece of freedom...but only if he was there, as well.

I sighed and walked out into the main room. I found him sitting at his keyboard, doing nothing. _I wonder what is wrong with him?_ _Should I ask?_ I decided it was worth a try.

"Is something the matter?" He jumped at my voice and turned to look at me. He had a sad, longing look in his eyes, but that only lasted for a second, and soon it was gone. The same look of no emotion whatsoever came back into his eyes. I could never read them.

"Why would anything be wrong with me? And why would you care, anyway?" He was practically yelling at me. _Someone is in a bad mood._

"I was just concerned. You're usually either not here or torturing me, but right now you are just sitting there with a sad look in your eyes. But it doesn't matter. If you don't want to tell me, then fine." I turned to walk back into my room, but he had jumped at the opportunity before I shut the door. He grabbed my arm, like he had done so many times before, and twirled me around to face him. What I saw was more sadness in those bright, green eyes. Slowly, he released me.

"What would you know? Why would you be so concerned when I've treated you so badly? When I practically kidnapped you and took all your dreams away? Answer me that!"

I didn't know what to say. _Why am I concerned for him when everything he says is exactly true? _But I knew why, even if it was hard to admit. He probably wouldn't even believe it himself, but he demanded an answer, so that is what I would give him.

"I care because no one should feel sad or angry or whatever kind of pain you are feeling. I mean, you must be down here for a reason. I doubt you actually enjoy it down here. And to live a life like The Phantom of the Opera, well, no one needs that. I, personally, had always wished the Phantom could have found love and true happiness. Everyone needs love and happiness in their lives." I must have took his hand while I was speaking, because I could feel him stroking the back of my hand with his thumb. I gulped and pulled my hand out of his grasp. He just stared at me with this confused, shocked look on his face. _Okay, so what do I do now? _Then an idea popped into my head.

"Oh, I have been meaning to ask you what your name is. I don't believe I ever told you mine. I'm Serafina." He just continued to stare at me. _Okay, so I guess he's not going to answer me. Just walk away, Serafina. Walk away._

I was about to shut the door to my room when I heard his voice. It was very soft, but I still heard it.

"My name is Michael."

**Author's note: Yes, it's been a little while. Sorry! I'm just busy with things and I plan to update, but then I can't, so that's why it's taken some time. Don't expect many updates after next week. I start choir and then school will be starting back before too long. But I apologize, once again, that it is super short. Shame on me, I know. I promise one day to have a long, long chapter. Okie-dokie, that is all. Review, please:)**


	10. Persistent Thoughts

Disclaimer: I do not own POTO

Persistent Thoughts

**From Last chapter...**

"Oh, I have been meaning to ask you what your name is. I don't know if I ever told you mine. I'm Serafina." He just continued to stare at me. _Okay, so I guess he's not going to answer me. Just walk away, Serafina. Walk away._

I was about to shut the door to my room when I heard his voice. It was very soft, but I still heard it.

"My name is Michael."

**

* * *

****Serafina's POV**

Michael. So, he does have a name. He had walked away after he told me his name. It was as if we had been chatting about the weather or something common. _All I know is that he's a huge mystery._

I was trying to get some sleep, but my stupid thoughts wouldn't let me. _Maybe this is the start of a true friendship. Maybe he'll set me free soon. Yeah, and maybe pigs really can fly, Serafina. _I turned over and pounded my pillow until it was a perfect ball shape. I flopped back onto my back and gazed up at the dark ceiling. _I wonder how Amber is. It's weird that I haven't even thought about her until now. Let's see, it will be three days tomorrow since I've been gone from above. She probably thinks I got cold feet and ran. How embarrassing! _

I tossed and turned until I fell off of the bed onto the cold, hard floor. Pain shot through my hip as I stood up and laid back down. I let out a long sigh as I said, "This is going to be a long night."

**

* * *

**

**Michael's POV**

_Why did I tell her my name? What possessed me to do something so personal?_ I knew I should be sleeping, but instead I found myself pacing back and forth. My nerves were all riled up and it felt as if I had drank ten cups of coffee. _All those things she said about people needing love just got to me, I guess. She seemed so sincere, it was as if I were under a spell._

As I was pacing, I heard a loud thud come from her room. I walked over to her door and pressed my ear against it. I could hear her mumble something and sigh. _Maybe you should check on her._ I backed up and shook my head. _Get a grip, Michael! You don't need to care for her. You won't care for her! _

I walked into my room and picked up the picture she had been looking at that day when I caught her snooping. The smiling faces of the little boy and man made another wave of anger and resentment pass through me. I ripped up the picture and watched the pieces fall to the floor.

**

* * *

****Amber's POV**

I couldn't sleep. Serafina had been gone for almost three days and I knew she hadn't willingly left. Something had happened to her. _Maybe Mr. Carter will know something. Maybe Serafina had gone to him before she supposedly left. Or maybe he knows something he's not saying. I wouldn't put it past him._

I rolled over onto my side and closed my eyes. _I'll pay him a visit tomorrow. Right now I need my sleep._

**Author's Note: Okay, yes, it is short again. I was hoping it would be longer, but this is all I could come up with last night at like 10:30. I have had many things on my mind lately, so that is why it is not as long as I had hoped. I do apologize. Anyway, please read and review. Thanks!**


	11. Apples and Bruises

Disclaimer: I do not own POTO

Apples and Bruises

I woke up the next morning with a painful bruise on my hip that I had fallen on last night. I rubbed my sore hip and thought of all the many hours I had stayed up just thinking about different things. I slowly got up from the bed and walked over to my mirror. _I look like a zombie! _My hair was flat and hung lifeless against my shoulders. My skin was pasty. _Probably from being down here. _And my eyes had dark circles under them, making me look like a raccoon.

"Great, I look like a freak." _Of course, Michael is the only one who is going to see me, so I guess it doesn't matter._

I quickly got dressed and walked out of my room. I saw Michael sitting on the sofa reading a book. When he heard me enter the room he looked up. I was hoping he wouldn't notice my limp, but I wasn't that lucky.

"Why are you limping? Did you hurt yourself?" I could feel my cheeks turning red.

"No, I just, uh, fell...off the bed last night." I quickly looked away and walked to the kitchen. _I hope he doesn't follow me. _Luckily, he didn't. I turned my attention back to the task at hand, breakfast. I opened some cabinets but didn't find anything. _Maybe there is something in the fridge. _I opened it up, but all I found was half a gallon of milk and an apple. _Oh well, I guess the apple will have to do for now. _Just as I was reaching for it, another hand shot into the fridge from behind me, scaring me to death. I let out a shriek and spun around. I looked up and saw Michael take a bite out of the only food we had. He chewed and smiled. I just glared at him, hoping I intimidated him. He had the nerve to look innocent and ask, "Oh, did you want this?" _Jerk. _

"Oh, no, why would you think that just because I was reaching for it and there is no other food in here and that I am starving, that I could possibly have wanted that apple?" I stood with my hands on my hips, shooting evil glares at him. He just chuckled.

"Well, I guess we do need some food around here. I'll have to get some today, I suppose." He was about to walk away, but I had a great idea that I needed to tell him.

"Well, if you're going to the grocery store, then can I go?" He seemed shocked and stopped chewing. He shook is head.

"No, you cannot go." He turned back around, but I grabbed his arm.

"Oh, yes, I can! You promised that I could go out every now and then, and I held you to that promise." He just stood there a minute with a look of someone who had just lost a fight. _I won._

"Fine, you can go, but don't try anything stupid or this will be the last time you see daylight." He pulled on my arm and led me to the dark tunnel, which I had discovered three days ago. As we continued to walk down into darkness, I couldn't help but smile.

** 88888888888**

**Meanwhile, what's going on with Amber?...**

Rehearsals had just began, but I had told everyone I was sick and wouldn't be able to attend. I really wasn't sick, but I needed to speak to Mr. Carter at once.

I walked over to his door and knocked, like he always wanted everyone to do before entering. The door opened to reveal a very tired looking Mr. Carter. He seemed surprised to see someone so early.

"Uh, yes, what can I help you with, Miss...?"

"I'm Amber. I need to speak with you about something very important." He paused a minute, but then opened the door wider for me to enter. As I stepped into his office, he motioned with his hand for me to sit down.

"Please, have a seat, Amber." I walked over and sat in the chair facing his desk. He sat down in his chair and looked straight at me.

"So, what do you need to talk to me about?" I leaned forward in my chair and looked at him intently.

"I need to know what happened to Serafina Walson."

**Author's note: Yes, it's a cliffy. I actually could have made it longer this time, but I wanted to end it this way. So, in the next chapter you will find out how the grocery shopping goes and how the questioning goes with Amber and Mr. Carter. So, please read and review:) **


	12. More Confused Than Ever

Disclaimer: I do not own POTO or Evita

More Confused Than Ever

After Michael had led me through all these secret passageways, like in the movie, we stepped out onto the sidewalk outside the Opera House. I had to squint my eyes to see. After being in the darkness for three days, it took my eyes awhile to adjust. I looked over at Michael to find him watching me.

"What? I can't see good. Isn't it like that for you?" He shook his head.

"Nope, I guess I'm used to it."

I wanted to ask him how long he had been living down there and the reason why, but he didn't give me a chance. He grabbed my hand and pulled me along down the sidewalk.

"Now, I want you to stay with me at all times. You may not wander away, and if you try to, then I will never let you out again, do you understand?"

"Y-yes, I understand."

As we walked along, I looked around at the people walking by us, wondering why they weren't giving us odd looks. I mean, you don't usually see a man walking around with a mask on, unless it's Halloween. I hated to ask him the question that had been dwelling on my mind, but I couldn't help it.

"Um, won't people stare and wonder about you once we get to the grocery store?" I was just waiting for him to explode with anger but, to my utter surprise, he didn't.

"I shop at a small grocery store, and the owner is an old friend, so it isn't an awkward position for me. Unless, of course, you have a problem being seen with me." He looked at me, and I could tell by the mischievous gleam in his eyes that he was teasing me. I could feel my face turn red.

"No, I'm fine. I was just wondering, that's all.

We continued to walk in silence for about six miles, it seemed, when my feet began to hurt.

"When are we going to get there?"

"We will be there in a couple of minutes." He looked down at me and raised his eyebrows.

"So, you're not in very good shape, huh?"

I stopped walking and just stood there, gaping at him. _How dare he insult me like that! _He turned around and stared back at me.

"What? I'm just stating the obvious. Don't get all riled up about it."

"Oh, you are...infuriating! Let's just get there, shop, and go home. And you know what? I bet I can beat you there!" He laughed at that, which made me even more annoyed at him.

"You want to race me there when you can't even walk without almost passing out?"

"I am not that bad off. And yes, I do want to race you. Just tell me where I need to go."

"Fine, if you really want to. You go as far as that STOP sign down there and then take a right. It's a small blue building, you can't miss it."

"Okay, I got it. On the count of three we'll run, okay? He nodded and I began to count.

"One, two,..." But I took off before I finished counting. I looked back to see him standing there looking confused until it finally sank in that I had cheated. He began running, so I turned my attention back to the direction I needed to run.

I almost got there before him, but at the last minute I felt something get under my feet, and the next thing I knew I was lying on the ground. I stared at the grass for a second until I looked up and saw him standing at the store's front door, waiting. _I just know he tripped me._ I got up and brushed my clothes off as I walked over to where he stood. He was smiling, which made me want to puke.

"Well, it looks as if I win. Too bad you tripped on that rock and fell." He opened the door and walked into the store before I could reply to his comment. Before I went in after him, I looked back at the spot where I had fallen. There wasn't a single rock in sight. _That just figures._

"Serafina, are you coming or not?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming."

I opened the door and stepped inside. The store was kind of small, but it looked like it had a lot of fresh foods. I looked over at Michael who was talking to a man behind the counter. The man looked to be in his mid-fifties, with graying hair and tiny spectacles perched on the tip of his nose. He looked over at me and smiled.

"So, this is Serafina. I wondered who you were calling to, son. My, my, isn't she pretty!" I could feel my face turn red again. The old man winked at Michael and then looked back at me.

"Are you Michael's girlfriend?" Now my face was probably as red as a tomato.

"Uh, we're just..." Michael cut me off before I could explain.

"Yes, she is my girlfriend. Isn't that right, _darling_?" He looked at me with an anxious expression. _Oh my gosh, I can't believe this!_

"Yeah, we are, Mr...?"

"Oh, where are my manners? My name is Mr. Johnson. I'm an old friend of Michael and his family."

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Mr. Johnson." He winked and said, "You, too."

As I started to walk away, I could hear Mr. Johnson whisper to Michael, "She's a keeper." Inwardly, I groaned.

Michael came and stood beside me as we inspected the fruit. I leaned over and whispered, "Why did you tell him I'm your girlfriend?" He whispered back, "Because it somehow seemed less suspicious than us just being friends."

"Oh, that is just stupid! You act as if everyone is out to get you or get on your case. Anyway, let's just get some food so we can go, okay?"

**An hour later...**

We were finally through. It had taken us longer then I had hoped, but we had some trouble agreeing on what foods to get. Over all, we had gotten plenty of food to last about two weeks.

Mr. Johnson rang us up and bagged all our groceries. We were about to leave, but Mr. Johnson placed a hand on my arm to hold me back. I watched as Michael walked out the door, thinking I was behind me.

"You know, Serafina, I think it's so nice that you are Michael's girlfriend. He hasn't had much happiness in his life lately, ever since what happened." That got my attention.

"What exactly did happen?"

"You mean he hasn't told you?" I shook my head. "Well, I guess it still bothers him. Him and his father had a falling out with each other, especially after the accident."

"There was an accident?"

"Oh yeah, the whole Opera House was talking about it for months afterwards. Have you ever been to the Opera House?"

"Uh, yeah. I was actually almost cast into Evita, but then something came up, so I had to drop out." _Oh yeah, something came up alright. I'm being held hostage. _

"Well, I guess Mr. Carter..." Michael's voice came booming through the small building before Mr. Johnson could finish his sentence.

"Serafina, what are you doing? Why weren't you behind me?" He looked mad. Mr. Johnson came to my defense, though.

"Oh, I was just talking to her, that's all. Anyway, you two have a nice day!"

As we walked out, I couldn't help but think about all the things that Mr. Johnson has said. Father...accident...Mr. Carter.

**-----**

**Meanwhile, the meeting with Mr. Carter and Amber...**

Mr. Carter just stared at me. _Maybe he doesn't know who I'm talking about._

"You know, Serafina Walson. She arrived here three days ago, but then she just vanished. She even got the leading role in Evita. She was so excited about it, so I know she wouldn't just walk away from her dreams. Now, you must know what happened." He stood and paced behind his desk. I waiting, wondering why this was so difficult for him.

"Mr. Carter..."

"Amber, I do not know what happened to your friend. She must have just snuck out during the night without telling anyone."

"The doors are locked from both the inside and outside at night, so she couldn't have just left like that. I think something happened to her."

"Amber, I honestly do not know what happened to her. Now, if you'll please excuse me, I have a lot of work to do." He turned his back to me and started looking at some papers on his desk. I couldn't believe he didn't care about a missing girl in his opera house.

"Mr. Carter, don't you think we should go to the police? I mean, she is missing! What if something has happened to her?" He turned his full attention to me and stood up. He walked around his desk until he was standing right in front of me, looking down. His voice had a cold tone when he spoke.

"No one is going to the police. I do not know what happened to your friend, and I'm greatly sorry, but no one is going to the police. Do you understand!" _He's so angry it's almost scary._

"Y-yes, I understand, sir." He stood up straight, sighed, and smiled a little.

"Well, have a nice day, Amber." He practically pushed me out of his office and shut the door behind me. I knew I should go back to my room, since I was playing sick, but I just stood there for a minute. _I don't understand that man! Why won't he let me go to the police? It's like he's hiding something. Well, I'm just going to have to figure out what happened to Serafina and what Mr. Carter is hiding._

**Author's note: Okay, there is your long chapter. lol! I stayed up till like 1:00 last night, and I still didn't finish it until this morning. Anyway, I hope you guys like it.**


	13. Hair Pins to the Rescue

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, but I do own the characters in this story.

**A/N: Wow, I'm a terrible updater! I really am. I haven't updated in who knows when, and then I said I would during Christmas break, but that didn't happen either. See, I'm terrible. And to top it all off, I have major writer's block! Really bad. So, this chapter might be weird. We shall see.**

Hair Pins to the Rescue

**Serafina's POV**

_I can't believe I have been down here for two weeks already. The time has gone by so slowly!!!! I wonder if I'll ever see Amber again, or get to sing in an opera like I planned to when I came here. Mr. Carter must not care at all about what happened to me. Poor Amber must be worried sick. _All of these thoughts ran through my head as I lay on my bed in my dark, damp room. It was probably around 5:00 in the morning, and I hadn't slept a wink. I also kept thinking about what Mr. Johnson had said at the market. _What did he mean by an accident? And what happened between Michael and his father? Why did he mention Mr. Carter, too?_ That's when it hit me. I bolted up in bed and stared into the darkness. It made a little more sense now. That picture I had found in Michael's room of the man and the little boy...

"Oh my gosh! Mr. Carter is Michael's father!"

**

* * *

**

**Amber's POV**

I couldn't sleep. Thoughts of Serafina, Mr. Carter, and the mysterious boy (now man) who vanished years ago kept running through my head. I couldn't understand why Mr. Cater cared so little about Serafina's disappearance. Even if he truly didn't have a heart, she was still the leading role in the performance. It looks like he would have at least cared about that. It was almost two weeks since she had went missing, and there still wasn't any signs of what had happened to her. Did someone murder her and then dispose of her body? Did someone merely kidnap her and was now holding her hostage in some rundown building in Paris? Did some crazy maniac sneak through her window and grab her? Or did she simply leave like everyone thought she had done? I knew this wasn't the case, though.

I got out of bed and began pacing my room. I couldn't sleep, so I might as well go look for some kind of evidence. I changed out of my pajamas and into my regular clothes. I grabbed my key and opened the door. I made sure there wasn't anyone in the hall as I stepped out. I closed my door softly behind me and locked it. I crept down the hall to where her room was. I turned the knob, like I had done so many times since she went missing, but it was still locked. _It's like she was going somewhere just like me and locked her door. But where would she go?_ I stood there a minute thinking of what to do. Then I thought of the one place that would have every kind of information about the Opera House in it. Mr. Carter's office. I knew I was treading on thin ice, but he should be in bed anyway.

I walked softly down the hallway and stopped when I came to his door. I reached out and turned the knob, only to find that it was locked. _Well, duh, Amber! You should have known the jerk would lock it._ I ran my fingers through my hair as I began to think. My finger stopped on a bobby pin that I had forgotten to take out. I quickly pulled it out of my hair and began prying it into the keyhole in the door knob. I couldn't see well, so it took some time, but finally the door gently pushed open. I turned around, just to make sure no one had seen me, and then I stepped in. I closed the door behind me and turned around. I could only see a little, due to the large window letting in the moonlight. The moonlight lit up the top of his large desk. I walked over to it and sat down in his chair. _There are so many drawers. Which one should I look in first? _I decided on the largest one.

I pulled it open, but I couldn't see inside it. I looked back up at his desk and turned on a small lamp. It cast out enough light for me to see in the drawer. I picked up a book and opened it up. _Just the schedule for the operas. _I closed it and placed it on top of the desk. The next thing I pulled out were letters from different people I had not heard of before. I read each letter, but nothing seemed suspicious. I put everything back in the drawer and closed it. I decided to try the smallest drawer this time. I opened it up, but all it had in it was a box. I reached in and pulled out the box. It looked rather old and had dust all over the top of it. I blew it off, but the dust spread through the air and got in my nose. I held my nose so I wouldn't sneeze and opened up the box. Inside was a badly burned ticket to an opera that had been held several years ago and a picture. I held the picture up to the light. It was of a young man who was very handsome. He had his cap and gown on from graduation. _I wonder if this is his son. He never speaks of a son, though._

I heard a noise outside in the hall. I froze, listening for it again. It was footsteps! I quickly placed the picture and ticket back in the box and placed it in the drawer. I turned off the lamp and stood up. I could hear the footsteps getting closer. I couldn't walk out the door, because the person was headed this way. I looked around the office and saw a door in the corner of the room. _It must be a closet or something. _I ran over to the door and opened it up to reveal a small closet. It was rather small, but I squeezed in between a broom and several jackets. I closed the door and listened. I heard Mr. Carter's voice.

"Now, why is my door unlocked?"

**A/N: Yep, so, this chapter was mostly about Amber. But I think it was rather important. I hope you like it and remember that reviews are always welcome:) **


	14. Quiet As A Mouse

Disclaimer: I do not own the POTO, but the characters in this story are mine.

Quiet As A Mouse

**Amber's POV**

I watched as Mr. Carter walked into his office, observing his desk to see if anything was missing. He raised his head and looked around the room, as if he could feel my presence. I held my breath, knowing that if he found me it would be the end of my career here at the Opera House.

"Is anyone in here?" His voice was suspicious and held an edge of anger.

_Oh my gosh, I am so dead! _He looked around the room one last time, then sat down in his desk chair. My entire body relaxed with relief. I sat down on the floor in the closet, and waited until I could leave. I could hear him going through papers on his desk. I peeked through the door and saw him open up the drawer where I found that mysterious picture of him and the young man. He held it up to his desk lamp, gazing at it with a look of regret...and something else. Anger? Annoyance? I couldn't tell, because it was too dark.

"You stupid boy. Stupid, ignorant boy. You ruined your chance of living and your future! I don't know why I even still bother with you!" As he said the last sentence, he took his hand and threw all of his papers onto the floor. _Okay, so, I guess it was anger he was feeling a minute ago._ I saw him walk over in the direction of the fireplace with the picture. I think I might have heard him mumble, "This is where you belong," but I'm not quite sure.

He walked back to his desk without the picture, so I imagine he threw it into the flames. I was starting to get a little freaked out. I mean, when you are hiding in a closet inside a room with a potentially insane man, you kind of get that way. It just can't be helped. I also was trying to process what just took place. Why had Mr. Carter been so angry looking at that picture? What history did he and the young man share that could have been that horrible? _Gosh, I have a headache. I should have just stayed in bed._

I watched as he began to pick up the papers he had thrown to the floor just seconds earlier. He sat back down after he arranged them the way he had previously had them on his desk. _I guess I'm going to be here a while. I might as well try and rest. _I stretched out as best I could without kicking the door or making a noise. I rested my head against the wall and closed my eyes.

**30 Minutes Later**

I awoke to a sneeze. My sneeze, to be exact. Lovely, I know. I guess the closet was dusty. I slapped my hand over my face and peeked through the door, hoping Mr. Carter had already left. I was not that lucky. I saw him stand up rather abruptly and start walking in the direction of where I was hiding. _This is it!_

"Who is in there? Come out now!!" He had almost reached the closet door when the door to his office swung open. I could hear a woman's voice.

"Mr. Carter, you must come at once! A terrible thing has happened! Someone has destroyed part of the rehearsal area! There is a mess everywhere and the costumes have been torn to shreds! And there's a message...a terrible message! Come, come!" I saw Mrs. Walters pulling on his arm. I could only pray that he would go with her and leave me here.

"Mrs. Walters, I need to see about something before that. And why are you up at such an hour anyway?" I could hear her voice shaking as she replied.

"Well, I couldn't sleep, and I thought I would work on some more costumes. That's when I found the horrible, horrible mess. Please, you must come now, you must!!!"

That was the last I heard, so I knew that Mrs. Walters must have had an adrenaline boost and drug Mr. Carter away with her. I got out of the closet, went over to his door to make sure they were gone, and ran all the way back to my room. I didn't stop until I was safely inside. I locked my door and took a deep breath. I just then realized I had been holding it for a very long time.

**A/N- Okay, yes, it's short, and I do apologize for that. But I have serious writer's block. It's pretty bad, so this is as good as it's going to get for a while. Sorry! But thanks to all of my readers! You guys rock!**


	15. Apologies and Explanations

First of all, don't get your hopes up yet, because this is just an author's note. Sorry. But I do apologize many times for not updating in such a long time. If I still have any readers out there then I just want you to know that I AM going to finish this story, so don't worry. A lot is just going on in my life lately (which I have recently said on my profile...which I have also recently updated, so check it out please) so that is one of my reasons for being so slow. But my plan is to have a new chapter up by this weekend, so keep your eyes open for an actual new chapter later this week. I also want to thank any readers that I still might have for your loyalty and patience with me. Thanks so much:)

Smgirl


	16. Freedom Is Only Short Lived

Freedom Is Only Short Lived

**Serafina**

I could not believe it! Mr. Carter is Michael's father! It was just too confusing to understand. _Why does Michael live down here? Mr. Carter must know. Why would Mr. Carter want his son to live under the Opera House, all alone, in the dark? _I remember that Mr. Johnson, from the grocery store, had said that there was some type of accident and they both had some fight. _Well, of course I can't ask Michael, because he would surely yell at me._ If only I could somehow find out without him knowing. _Maybe I could sneak out, without Michael ever knowing, and investigate on my own. I would have to make sure he's asleep, though, and won't follow me._

I got out of bed. It was probably about 3:00 in the morning. There was a clock outside of my room. I slowly opened my door and poked my head out, looking around. Michael was nowhere in site. I silently walked over to the corner of the room to look at the clock. 3:15 am. _Good, I have time. And so what if I get caught? He can't kill me...especially if I'm around people. Besides, even if Michael is lonely, he is kind of a psycho. I mean, he's imitating the freaking Phantom of the Opera!!!! Oh yeah, that's completely sane. It would probably be better if I did get out of this nut house...or nut underground house...whatever. _

I had never left this "lair" by myself before. I wasn't sure if there were really traps, like in the book and movie. I took a deep breath and started toward the way I thought was the exit. I walked along the lake for a while until I came to a dark doorway. I squinted my eyes, barely seeing that there were steps leading up. I slowly put my foot out until I felt it on the step, then slowly put my other foot up to the next step. This took me a while, since I couldn't see where I was going at all. Finally, though, I reached the top. I found that it led to another doorway which opened up to a hallway that I walked through for a while. I then reached another door. I quickly realized that this was the door I had first discovered hidden in the wall. The door with which I entered weeks ago only to find doom at the end. Not to mention a creepy guy, as well.

_I can't believe I am one door away from freedom! _I pushed it open carefully, hoping no one was out in the hallway, seeing a door in the wall suddenly open. To my luck there wasn't anyone around. I walked out and closed it carefully behind me. I just stood there for a moment, not quite believing I had actually disobeyed Michael and left his home. I was back where I belonged, and where I wanted to stay. _Well, why can't I stay? This is where I belong, not with him. I don't even know him. _

The first person I thought of was Amber. I needed to talk to her, to reassure her that I was alive and well. I walked down the hallway to her door. I knocked softly, hoping she wouldn't mind being woken up so early. I heard her on the other side moving around, and then the key in the lock turning. She opened the door slowly, as if afraid to really know who was there. I decided it would be best to let her know that it was only me.

"Amber, it's me, Serafina. I'm finally back!" I whispered this, afraid someone, like maybe Michael, would hear me. _Don't be so silly, he's fast asleep floors below your feet._

Amber quickly threw open the door and hugged me as tight as she could. I found I could no longer breathe. I could tell she was relieved that I was okay. I was so happy to see her, as well.

"Oh, Serafina, I can't believe you're actually here! Are you okay?! Where have you been? Did someone kidnap you? Did they hurt you?! You won't believe what I found out about Mr. Carter! I..."

I soon remembered just how much Amber rambled when she talked. I put my hand over her mouth to silence her, for I was afraid she would soon go crazy.

We went into her room, closing and locking the door behind us. We both sat on her bed as I began to tell her of my strange encounter with the imitation Phantom floors below us.

**Meanwhile, down below...**

**(Michael)**

I got out of bed. I couldn't sleep. Too much was on my mind. I had had another fit of anger take over me. I had heard Mr. Johnson talking to Serafina about my father at the grocery store, which was why I had to interrupt them before she learned too much. This brought back many memories...memories I wish I could bury. I had made a little trip backstage a few hours ago, destroying the props and clothing. I had hoped that pretending I was destroying my father instead of wood and cloth would bring some peace to me, but I was only met with guilt afterwards.

_She must think I'm a complete madman. And I don't blame here one bit. I mean, look at me! I live under the Opera House, just like that Phantom of the Opera guy. How weird can a person get? Well, it's my father's fault. He is the real madman, but I'm the one who appears that way, instead._ _...Maybe I should go talk to her. I don't have to tell her about my past...or why I am here. I could just simply apologize for her being down here. Yeah, that will work._

So, I got up and walked out of my room, practicing in my head what I would tell Serafina. I made it to her door and knocked softly. I waited a few moments, knowing she was probably asleep. After a couple of minutes, though, she still hadn't answered the door. _That's odd._

I slowly opened the door and peaked inside.

"Serafina?" No answer.

I walked inside only to find an empty bed. Suddenly, all of that anger quickly came back, only worse this time.

**A/N: Wow, I finally updated. This is like a moment in history or something. lol! I've already apologized for being so slow about updating, so I won't do that again. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. I didn't really put much thought into it, I just wrote it. I do have a plan for this story, but I still don't quite know how it's going to play out. So, be patient with me, and know that I will most likely be slow when it comes to new chapters. Anyway, thanks for reading this...& please review! Much love! **


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